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| Pietro Liberi Mythological Subject c. 1660-65 Royal Collection, Great Britain |
The painting above with two conspicuous beauties reveling amidst clouds and draperies was obtained in Italy for the British Royal Collection in the 18th century, about a hundred years after it was made. Already by the time of that purchase no one could remember the ostensible subject of the piece, and no one since has been bold or clever enough to assign a believable interpretation. As a generic Mythological Subject it was copied by the great Fragonard. He reoriented the image from horizontal to vertical and transformed it into an etching.
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| Jean-Honoré Fragonard Two women on clouds c. 1763-64 etching Philadelphia Museum of Art |
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| Jean-Honoré Fragonard The Warrior c. 1770 Clark Art institute |
Both The Warrior (above) and the copy after Rubens (below) allowed Fragonard to imitate the dashing brushwork of the 17th century, still paying his respects to bygone Baroque spirits.
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| Jean-Honoré Fragonard after Peter Paul Rubens Nessus abducting Dejanira ca. 1778 British Museum |
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| Jean-Honoré Fragonard Angel with Palm & Crown 1763-64 etching Philadelphia Museum of Art |
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| Jean-Honoré Fragonard after Annibale Carracci Two Prophets 1764 etching National Gallery of Art (U.S.) |
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| Jean-Honoré Fragonard Seated young woman 18th century drawing Morgan Library, New York |
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| Jean-Honoré Fragonard Stairway, Genoa 1761 drawing British Museum |
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| Jean-Honoré Fragonard The Armoire 1778 etching Philadelphia Museum of Art |
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| Jean-Honoré Fragonard La fiancée du roi 18th century drawing Morgan Library, New York |
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| Jean-Honoré Fragonard Young woman ca. 1785 drawing British Museum |
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| Jean-Honoré Fragonard Sacrifice of Coresus 18th century drawing Morgan Library, New York |
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| Jean-Honoré Fragonard Le petit parc ca. 1763 etching National Gallery of Art (U.S.) |
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| Jean-Honoré Fragonard Imaginary view of a Roman villa 1770s drawing Metropolitan Museum of Art |